Johan Muller, whose term as Cricket Namibia (CN) chief executive officer ends on 28 October this year, has expressed profound excitement with the tremendous growth the organisation has achieved both on and off the field in a short space, and says he is thrilled to reapply for the job again.
CN advertised the position last month.
Muller said he is proud of the many successes CN has achieved in a very short space of time, and that gives him joy to want to continue with the great work of further developing cricket.
“It’s a position that I have come to love, and we have managed to achieve so many successes in the last three years. I would love to extend that, and achieve even more for another period. Namibian cricket is on an unstoppable rise, and I would really love to contribute further to that success story. So, definitely, I will reapply for the position,” he added.
At the helm of CN, he propelled the organisation to great heights and restored the overall image of local cricket, which saw more sponsors coming on board and funding CN’s various developmental programmes and national teams.
From almost nothing, Muller and his management team managed to bring over 23 sponsors on board for their various programmes, and Namibia’s overall performance on the field improved as the men’s senior team reached the Super 12 round of the 2021 T20 World Cup in Dubai. They also qualified for the next T20 World Cup.
It was also during his reign that the men’s senior team players were offered professional contracts by CN, and no longer compete as amateurs. CN’s overall performance saw Namibia gain ODI status as well as winning the ICC Associate Member Men’s Performance of the Year at the ICC awards.
Countless development programmes were likewise birthed, which saw the sport of cricket reaching almost all corners of the country, especially schools. From women’s cricket to veterans’ leagues, Muller has managed to usher Namibian cricket into a completely new era, and from here onwards, the future looks bright.
Reflecting on the many accomplishments, he shared with New Era Sport that he is excited to be part of CN’s future projects as many development programmes are still in the pipeline, and that inspires him to reapply for the position once his contract ends next month. “We have got quite a number of plans for the next three years; big events that are coming up, and we have achieved a great number of things. So, it is important to maintain that momentum with most of our programmes, such as the grassroots development structure and its expansion across the country. Girls and women’s cricket is equally important and part of our plans”
“We will be playing more international cricket and also consolidating the country’s readiness to co-host the ICC Men’s World Cup in 2027, together with South Africa and Zimbabwe. We want to have all our teams playing more international games and giving them exposure,” added Muller, who noted that those are some of the incomplete projects that keep him awake at night and give him hope for the future.
– mkambukwe@nepc.com.na